Its magic...

It was my day off yesterday, but I did go to the bookshop for an hour or so – madness but loads of fun because we had a new children’s author in to wow the crowds and sign books; John Lenahan and his book, Shadowmagic. Vicki had control of the event and a fine job she did too; when I arrived John was already entertaining customers and booksellers, young and old, with his humorous repartee and magic.

Yes, MAGIC.

John is also a very well known magician. He hails from Philadelphia but has lived in the UK for more than twenty years. He will tell you that his claim to fame is for being the voice of the Toaster on Red Dwarf (see below), but John is much more well-known than that. He has hosted his own BBC2 series Stuff The White Rabbit and starred in Secrets of Magic; appeared on Richard and Judy and How Do They Do That? among others and fronted ITV’s Hoaxbusters. The Guardian has hailed him "the mascot of a magical renaissance". He performs all over the world; has toured with the likes of Lenny Henry and Jack Dee; and has proudly held the title of Time Out Street Magician of the Year.




John is a man of distinction. He has achieved the distinction of being thrown out of the Magic Circle - the first I believe, for 85 years – for revealing a card trick to millions of television viewers - a trick is used by con artists around the world to cheat the unsuspecting shopper and holiday-maker. He also has the distinction of being the first magician to perform magic live over the internet – which he did for British Telecomm. His latest distinction is to turn into a children’s author.


The Friday Project and Scott Pack, never one to miss a good thing when he sees it - or so he tells me - have published Shadowmagic; a fabulous tale of myth and magic, fantasy and adventure (a review to come later).



John wows young and old with card tricks.














And rope tricks.










Everyone had a good time…and he has promised to come back!

I can’t wait.

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All Things New and Wonderful

I’ve been off work for the last two weeks. It was holiday but for various reasons we didn’t go away. Just as well as DTS was ill…however, I haven’t done any of things I meant to do, except help DTF with her Uni work. I have, however, been discovering lots of new things.

Thursday night, I attended a really fab Book Swap event at the Firestation Arts Centre in Windsor. Scott Pack, (Friday Project, columnist, ex-Waterstones, and Me and My Big Mouth blogger) had the idea and organised the whole thing. He jointly hosted with ‘Gods Behaving Badly’ author Marie Phillips, and had arranged for authors to come and talk:

Robert McCrum, former editor-in-chief at Faber & Faber and literary editor for the Observer. He wrote My Year Off, about life after a stroke, sounds dismal but is compelling reading.

Jessica Ruston who has just published her debut novel, Luxury . She is also author of Heroines: The Bold, the Bad and the Beautiful about some of the greatest women in history.

It was unlike any book/literary event I have ever been too – and I've been to/organised hundreds. The ‘stage’ was set like a living room, with sofa, cushions, chairs, lamps, rugs – even tea and coffee (authors only) and cake. These were made by Scott’s lovely wife (congratulations) Rhian – everyone had some. I opted for one of my favourites – marcaroons – delicious! She also makes beautiful ceramics - check out her website. There was great conversation, book swapping, questions, all very relaxed and informal. The questions were meant to be of a non-book variety, and some of the best included cat worming, worst experience at Infant School, and one about a rat in a loo. All very surreal but fun.

Half way to the event, I realised my chosen book was maybe not going to be the easiest swap. Not because it isn’t worth reading, but it rather falls in the ‘misery memoir’ category - I had decided on Wasted by Mark Johnson. This was a reading group offering and as the point of the group (for me) was to read something I would never choose for myself - this was a recent choice. (See review to come). My fears were realised as several people screwed their noses up at it. My explanation that it had the best and most brilliant description of the high taking certain drugs raised some interest - and some eye-brows. I finally did swap it for Kim by Rudyard Kipling which I realised I have never read but really want to. I discovered that someone had brought an even more difficult swap than mine - a book about child abuse in the Pitcairn Islands. Those of you familiar with the Mutiny on the Bounty story, will know this is where the mutineers made their home.

It was so much fun at the end talking to new people. I was staggered at how far some had travelled. (Hi to Stuart and Andrea from East London!) The event even got a review in the Independent. Roll on September’s swap!

The joy of trolling around the internet, is finding new things and I have discovered a new band - Mumford and Sons. I have not as yet found an album to purchase, but I have listened to some of their songs on line and I like.



I'm curious about them and I would even go so far a to buy tickets to see them live - if I can find them at a venue I can get to that does not require logistcal planning of military campaign proportions! I tried to get tickets to see them at the End of the Road Festival in Dorset, (close to Salisbury and Blandford where I could stay with family), but sadly they're sold out! Seeing bands at this stage in their careers mean I can actually afford the ticket price. Given the costs of travel and refreshments on top, I rarely go to gigs anymore. I'm not mean - just poor!

I have reviews to write, so I'm away - in the meantime, enjoy the books and music - or not.